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With our sister organization the HPA, we are fighting for the survival of an industry and the rights of practitioners and consumers to have freedom of choice of health products and healthcare modality.

Legal papers have been issued to the Minister of Health and the Department of Health to challenge the regulations, taking the matter to the High Court.

What are the new regulations all about?

New Regulations Will Destroy the Industry

The HSASA is interested in public safety above all else. We agree that regulations need to be put in place to stop unscrupulous individuals “cowboys” from selling products which can harm the public. However the new regulations are fraught with problems and will cause up to 60 percent of the industry to close shop.

Reputable and trustworthy manufacturers and sellers are being put into the same boat as criminals, at the end of the day this is just plain unfair. Many people rely on CAMS (Complementary and Alternative Medicines) as part of their treatment from doctors and if these new laws go unchallenged CAMS products will become unavailable, this is because the companies who manufacture CAMS will close down.

Health Shops are an important part of the CAMS industry, without them many products which are freely available today would vanish. In South Africa health shops have been selling supplements and alternative medicines to the public for more than 30 years. Doctors often send their patients with scripts to get products from health shops. What right does anyone have to deny patients a choice of natural medicine?

In a nutshell the new regulations stop many sellers from being able to sell supplements and CAMS. In addition to this many manufacturers are also prevented from selling to the masses and can only sell their products through pharmacies to people who have a doctor’s prescription to buy them. Why do we need to over regulate this industry? If the regulations are carried out many jobs will be lost, many companies will close down and the Billions of rands in revenue for the economy will be lost. Not to mention the hundreds of millions in Tax revenue lost.

Until such time that fair and appropriate regulations are issued by the government we the HSASA are in opposition to them.

Stay cool and hydrated. Drink water, at least two glasses (500ml) upon rising, and similar amounts if you are going out for activities and exercise. Carry water with you in a hard plastic container (more stable polycarbonate rather than polyethylene that leaches plastic into the water). You may also use a traveling water filter. On hot days your fluid intake requirements are higher. Try consume up to 2 litres of water per day.

While enjoying the sun and outdoors, protect yourself from overexposure to sunlight by wearing a hat and using natural sunscreens without excessive chemicals. Carry Aloe Vera gel for overexposure and have an aloe plant growing in your home for any kind of burn. The cooling and healing gel inside the leaves will soothe any sunburn. It works great.

Keep up or start an exercise program. Aerobic activity is important for keeping the heart strong and healthy. If you only work out in a gym, take some time to do outdoor refreshing activities — hiking, biking, swimming, or tennis. Reconnecting with these activities will help keep your body and mind aligned.

Enjoy Nature’s bounty – fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables at their organic best. Consuming foods that are cooling and light — fresh fruits, vegetable juices, raw salads, and lots of water — will nourish your body for summertime activities. Include some protein with one or two meals. There are a number of light, nourishing proteins that don’t require cooking. Most of these complement vegetables nicely– nuts, seeds, sprouted beans, soy products, yogurt, kefir, and cottage cheese. Fish and poultry can also be eaten.

Take some special summer time with your family, kids, and friends who share the enjoyment of outdoors. Plan a fun trip if you’re able and motivated for a day or longer — hiking in the wild, camping, playing at the river, or a few days resting at the ocean. Rekindling our Earth connection has benefits that last beyond this season, continuing to enrich the whole of your life.

Relax and breathe. You’ve been working hard. This is the season to slow the pace a bit and absorb the light that stimulates your hormonal message center. Leave your cell phone at home or take a week off from TV. In some European countries, part of their population has a month off during the summer.

Sun teas are wonderful. Use flowers and leaves (or tea bags) in a 1litre glass jar filled with spring water. Hibiscus or red clover flowers, peppermint, chamomile, or lemon grass are all good choices, or use your local herbs and flowers that you learn are safe, flavourful, and even medicinal. Leave in the sun for two hours or up to a whole day. Add a little orange or lemon peel, or a sprig of rosemary and a few jasmine flowers.

Nutritional supplements can support you with a greater amount of physical energy, enhancing your summer activities. The B-complex vitamins are calming to the nervous system and helpful for cellular energy production, while vitamin C and the other antioxidants protect your body from stress, chemical pollutants, and the biochemical by-products of exercise.

Use the summer months to experience new things. Begin by checking your local bookstore or the web for ideas that interest you. Plan a vacation that incorporates these new interests and provides you time to read, relax, contemplate, and breathe.

Above all, give yourself the time to truly experience Nature. This can happen, even in a city park, if you relax and let in your surroundings. When traveling, take activities for the family and your first aid kit for bites, bee stings, and injuries. Watch for overexposure to the sun, take time in the shade, and drink your water.